Whole Genome Resequencing Reveals Origins and Global Invasion Pathways of the Japanese Beetle Popillia japonica.

ABSTRACT: Invasive species are an increasing global threat given their ability to rapidly spread and adapt to novel environments. The adverse ecological and economic impacts of invasive species highlight the critical need to understand the mechanisms that underpin invasion processes and success. The Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, is an invasive pest of remarkable interest, as it feeds on hundreds of economically valuable plant species. It has been expanding outside of its native range in Japan since the first decades of the 20th century, colonising large areas of North America and, more recently, Europe. Here, we compared whole-genome resequencing data from individuals encompassing the entire species distribution to study the geographic differentiation of P. japonica populations and reconstruct

SUBMITTER: Funari R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12329639 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature